Collapsible table leg hinge and latch structure



April 5, 194:9.,`

COLLAPSIBLE TABLE LEG HINGE AND LATCH STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 50, 1947 G. H. BURR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M16/MM May/frega April s, 1949.

G. H. BURR l COLLAPSIBLE TABLE LEG HINGE AND LATCH STRUCTURE Filed sept. 3o, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 5, 1949 COLLAPSIBLE TABLE LEG HINGE AND L LATCH STRUCTURE Gus H. Burr, River Grove, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Harry M. Wolfe, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 30, 1947, Serial No. 777,048

This invention relates to collapsible table leg hinge and latch structures for use upon folding card tables and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible table leg hinge and latch structure for use upon folding card tables and the like.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible table leg hinge and latch structure for use in conjunction with folding card tables and the like embodying a hollow metallic upper leg portion.

Other and further objects of the present in,

vention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary View of a corner portion of a collapsible table, partly in section and partly in elevation, embodying the new collapsible table leg hinge and latch structure;

Fig. 2 is a top horizontal sectional plan view, on line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View on line 3-3 in Fig. 1, partly in section and partly in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical sectional view of the corner portion of a collapsible table embodying the present invention and illustrating the relative positions of the parts of the new table leg hinge and latch structure when the table leg is :latched in fully raised and effective tablesupporting position;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 4, but showing the relative positions of the parts of the new table leg hinge and latch structure when the table leg has been lowered and has 'been pivoted partially into raised and collapsed position; and v Fig. 6 is a central vertical sectional view showing the relative positions of the parts of the new collapsible table leg hinge and latch structure when the table leg has been moved into fully raised and collapsed position below the table top.

A preferred and typical embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings, wherein it is generally indicated at III, and is shown as being operatively associated with a collapsible table which includes a Wooden table top IIand a wooden table top-supporting frame I2. The table `top-supporting frame I2 has a metallic corner-reenforcing member I3 attached thereto. 'I'his metallic corner-reenforcing member I3 2 Claims. (Cl. 311-99) is substantially L-shaped in form and includes a pair of arms I4 and I5 having end portions which are attached, by means of fastening elements I6 and II, respectively, to the table top-supporting frame I2 (Figs. 1 and 2).

The new table leg hinge and latch structure .includes a metallic combination guiding and latching member I8 which is shown in top plan in Fig. 2, and which comprises a pair of right angularly intersecting arm portions I9 and 20. The arm I9 has an attaching extension or portion 24 and the arm 2l) has an attaching extensionor portion 2|, these attaching extensions 24 and 20 extending at right angles to and being integral with the arms I'9 and 20, respectively. The attaching extension 24 is attached, by means of fastening elements in the form of headed rivets 25, to the arm I5 of the corner-reenforcing member I3, the inner end Vportions of the rivets 25 being preferably spot welded to the arm I5 of the corner-reenforcing member I3. ISimilarly, the attaching extension 2| is attached by fastening means, in the form of headed rivets 22, to the arm I4 of the corner-reenforcing member I3, the inner end portions of the rivets 22 being preferably spot welded to the arm 2l` of the corner-reenforcing member I3.

Inorder to complete the mounting of the thus interconnected members I3 and I8 fastening elements, such as screws 23, may be inserted through suitable holes formed in the parallel contacting arms I4 and 2l of the members I3 and I'8, into the table top-supporting frame I2, and similar fastening elements, such as screws 26 (Figs. 2 and 3) may be inserted through suitable holes in the parallel contacting arms I5 and 24 of the members I3 and I8 into the table topsupp'orting frame I2.

As shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 the right angularly vintersecting arms I9 and 20 of the combination kguiding and latching member I8 cooperate with the right angularly intersecting arms I4 and I5 of the corner reenforcing member I3 to provide a vertically extending and substantially square guideway 28 for the hollow metallic upper end portion of a collapsible table leg 21 which has a limited vertically slidable movement in the guideway 28 thus formed.

The upper end portion of the collapsible table leg 2'I includes four side walls 29, 30, 3| and 32. A generally L-shaped slot 33 is formed inl the upper portion of the side wall 30 of the table leg 21 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) and a similar substantially L-shaped slot 34 is formed in the upper portion of theside wallv 32 ofthe table leg 21 (Fig. 1). Ay

hinge -bolt or pin 35 "extends through the slot 3 4.

One end portion of the hinge bolt or pin 35 is fastened in any suitable manner, as by spot welding, as at`36 (Fig. 2), to the attaching arm I4 of the corner-reenfcrcing member I3, and the other end portion of the hinge bolt 35 is threaded and has a nut 31 threaded thereon exteriorly of the arm oraiwall 219 f'ol"thenoombinatiorrguidingk and latchingmeinbe' f8, (iFigs. 1, 2 and-3) As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the side wall 20 of the combination guiding and latching member I8 is in the form of a relativelyinarrowweb, considered in its vertical width' or lieig'htli',}from tcp to bottom, the lower portion thereof being cut away, as at 38, to allowltheitableilegszhto pivot through the opening thus"providedby-the cut-out portion 38. As willfbeexplainedmereinafter, the relatively narrow web or side` vvall 20 of the combination guiding and latching'fmernber I8 provides a latch member for retaining the .-atable: leg 21:.in3. iullyifraisediand table'@supporting 4Thez'nse anchzoperatioxriofrthe. newcollap'sible .1 tablerleg shingezand; latchrstructureiare:asfoliows:

When a table embodying'. themewcllapsibievtable VL'flog' hinge and .latclfrfstriictureeisniotrin useithe :'@table'lleg 1-21 may.bencollapsedgifhorizontaiposiationounder the-stableztnp il 6.e'Wi1en :tit: is desired.' to movetheftablezleg i2ihinto effective 4 hinge bolt or pin 35, from the position in which the parts are shown in Fig. 4, through the position whichethe 'parts are'shown"in'1iig;.,5; and into ..lthezfullycollapsed horizontal posltionvin which 5 the parts are shown in Fig. 6.

It will thus be seen from the following descrip- `tionconsidered .in conjunction with the accom- ,g=par'ying "drawings, that the present invention provides a new and improved collapsible table leg .floihingeizandzulatchlstructure, having the desirable fa"dvantages-v andfcharacteristics, and accomplishing. its4 intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out, and others which are inherent the'invention.

I claim:

i LAA'ibracket for-.supporting guiding-and latch- ',ving afoldablewtable legpos'itioned'I-in the interior 'corner oi a table including` atoplandidepending sidefan ges 'atfthecorner,. the yfbraclzetvbeing subf ,-20-- stantially right angul'arly 1 shaped.v and-fincluding 1- .aniarmA aty each Ainner:surface lofi tha linnerf'side anges of the table, a fright-J angularly shaped szisocket `formi-ng i element r; carriedqby :L the bracket .-fior :ri-iprghiz-r andfetableesupportingr ,position; this; 25 alignment with: thevbight'iportionv of the- .bracket v- Vnfiaylbe-readily,- accom'plished-,gbyz manually-grasp- `ing:t-heftablerleg 121randipivotngfthe.esame,fupon the Ahinge :boltrorfpinfx 5 1 as a hingel'or fpivot, :from f the position in.l which? thetableleg i21` is.=l;shown :inrFig. 6, intoi and: throughv theapartially::erected but: finclined* position Which. iti is-:sh'own fin Fig. 53`and thencefintofan entirelyvertically'extending posttionfwith-fthe fourz-walls 129,30g 31 andf32l-of .itheftable "leg 21'fari'anged withinthe areadened why :connes ofrfthe. substantiallyesquare avertically rex-tending guidetvayrcprovidedbyilthe farms-.el mand 1mb-fthe combinationiguidingfandlatchingimember iandtthe =arms il 4 fand il 5 otithe cornerreen :@forcingememben el 3. :f vAt.-this ti1'ne,-hovveverf .the L, upper.n edge portion of\ thev-tab1eleg 21.sis1dsposed A@somewhat fbeloW-lthe lfrelatively narrowfsiderwall or latching web 20 of.-.themember.i8.. Thewtable :flieg 121;; is vtlrn manually 4grasped andi-.pushed Vor ...slidanpwardlyl aint the" vertically. :extending guidewatv 28 so-thatftheuppersend portioniof theside :,Wall ..3 l :ofi the tablefleg i21 passes behind `origin- Wardlycf `theerelativelynarrovv side wallrorglatchning. web-2li '.ofathefmember 48; and theioth'eraside walls 29, ilfnandy 32H01?i.the-.sta.lule'leg .21.-fare-.ds-

y:and:forming. a2 rhollowftablefleg receiving socket fthereatyat 'leastr threeLx Awallsaofl the socket`- lbeing Vsubstantiallyif?of .thewsame-fdepth ias: the-stinner A- depth :of 'Etherv sidefwanges; thee-,otherv ."Wal'l- ,'of f -the .1 ggnsocket ,whichf is: off considerably: less edepthmhan the saidr t-h'reei. walls! :andisfat fthe* inner: endi--of i the isocket-rcon'stitutes afflatch s fort the table :leg staand results' irr'an opening in thersockelg, aV hinge wpin-.iorirth tableleg attached@ toi the bracket 'at f ,-35,2 roneend. and' extendingrthrough-ialignedt substan- .fvtiallyl -L:shaped,=openings;in .opposite sidesso the table legfandrrextendinghinto andV through' Pan c opening inthe wall ofthe socket fformingei'ement,

- edge-thereof and 's'inand-:tofthe side 7'offthever- ,tioalfI centerfiof.- fthe 1 socket that; is adjacent the :bpeningvso "that when' the; legsisezdisposed :vertically within: Vther socket; the ssame4 frictionally n en- 445. ',gagesf the Wall'sfthereoff-and.iscmaintained in its Vertical position by the latch'andl vWhenatheleg .-iis..slidaoutwardly o1-the-socket...the.same may be `pivoted on the piniandlfswungfmough.thefopen- .iingiziny the 'socketfto a-zpositionnsubstantiallyhparv. posed-rparalleltoand imcontacti with thevpartst I 5,`;50., amel: ,with theV :under:V side of then tablestop.

.uit and .19; respectively..(sliig.f.-2). fllheetablealeg .21:is."thus.v1atched in uprightmutable-supporting position, as in Figs. l and 4, yandfis;.p1eventr.=.d; from vswinging#v or rpivotingsabout' itsshingebolt on pin 2. Affstructureiras zileri-edrin;fand"iltomclaiiny 1 wherein the: wallsofsthe-l right iangularly .shaped siisoelietcforrning.,-eiementzareprovided withflateral ..extensionsfparallelio vfand/,in abutment withtthe .relativelyonarrow sicle\v `Walls orelatchinga web ..of t-,hel member il 8, whereupprethe.itabletleg .'21 A.may.bepivoted:about itshingegboltorepi-'into .l the l`partially lcollapsed. .but inclinedV position" 'in f fully' .collapsed horizontal `pasitioifrjn .Whichgitiis ...shown .iii Fig'L 6.25' During this operation thesiotted vlportions.33.and34fo thel side walls'i :aiidof mneans' :arey .providedi :totattach et-herz saidjl abutting @walls andsarrnsoto'gethen:aindwwhereinj :additional V`:means"fxare', fprovidjed for t. iattachingfz. bothwthe abracketiiandfrthe'fsocket 'forming' `element-.tofthe @i180 -sideiangesiof the .table top.

' `.=..:GUS BURR.

i fREFERLENCE Sf-.CITIED imnefonowmg references @are -forfrecdrdfinf'the ieleiofthisiipatent: K i Y, 'NIT'EI STATES '.PIIJENTS 

